Ethan returned to the Astral Forge with a sense of urgency. The data he had retrieved from the Syntherion outpost revealed a grim truth: the Collective was far closer to harnessing the Fracture’s power than anyone had predicted. If they succeeded, the multiverse would face catastrophic consequences.

  “Kaelor,” Ethan said as he entered the council chamber, “we need to act fast. Syntherion’s experiments are more advanced than we thought.”

  Kaelor’s expression was unreadable. “Agreed. But we cannot face this threat alone. We must seek allies—those who can help us combat Syntherion and stabilize the Fracture.”

  Ethan frowned. “Allies? Who do you have in mind?”

  “Across the multiverse, there are individuals and factions who possess unique skills and knowledge,” Kaelor expined. “We will seek them out, forge alliances, and gather our forces.”

  Ethan nodded, determination in his eyes. “Where do we start?”

  Kaelor activated a holographic map, highlighting several key locations. “There are three potential allies we must recruit: Aurora, a gactic smuggler with ties to the underground resistance; Kael, a rebel scientist wielding gravity-based technology; and Zhi-Lar, a sentient cosmic dragon.”

  Ethan blinked. “A cosmic dragon? Seriously?”

  Kaelor’s lips twitched in the faintest hint of a smile. “Zhi-Lar is not to be underestimated. His power and wisdom are unparalleled.”

  Ethan sighed. “Alright, let’s get moving.”

  Their first destination was the neon-lit underbelly of the Draconis system, where Aurora ran her smuggling ring. Ethan and Kaelor navigated the bustling marketpce, blending in with the diverse crowd of aliens and humans.

  “Aurora is cautious,” Kaelor warned. “She will not trust us easily. We must prove our intentions.”

  Ethan nodded, scanning the crowd for their contact. They approached a shadowed alley, where a tall woman with striking blue hair and a bster at her hip waited.

  “Aurora?” Ethan asked, trying to appear confident.

  She eyed them warily. “Depends on who’s asking.”

  “We need your help,” Ethan said, cutting to the chase. “The Syntherion Collective is experimenting with the Fracture, and we’re assembling a team to stop them.”

  Aurora ughed, a sharp, mirthless sound. “And why should I care? Syntherion’s a gaxy-sized pain, but that’s not my problem.”

  Kaelor stepped forward. “Because the Fracture threatens all realities. If Syntherion gains control, the multiverse will colpse.”

  Aurora studied them for a moment, then sighed. “Fine. I’m in. But this better not be a waste of my time.”

  With Aurora’s agreement, they set off to find Kael, the rogue scientist. Their journey took them to the desote pnet of Graviton-9, where Kael had set up a hidden boratory. The pnet’s intense gravitational fields made navigation treacherous, but Ethan and his team pressed on.

  They found Kael tinkering with a device that defies gravity itself.